April 17, 1524
“After proceeding one hundred leagues, we found a very pleasant situation among some steep hills, through which a very large river, deep at its mouth, forced its way to the sea; from the sea to the estuary of the river, any ship heavily laden might pass, with the help of the tide, which rises eight feet. But as we were riding at anchor in a good berth, we would not venture up in our vessel, without a knowledge of the mouth; therefore we took the boat, and entering the river, we found the country on its banks well peopled, the inhabitants not differing much from the others, being dressed out with the feathers of birds of various colours. They came towards us with evident delight, raising loud shouts of admiration, and showing us where we could most securely land with our boat. We passed up this river, about half a league, when we found it formed a most beautiful lake three leagues in circuit, upon which they were rowing thirty or more of their small boats, from one shore to the other, filled with multitudes who came to see us. All of a sudden, as is wont to happen to navigators, a violent contrary wind blew in from the sea, and forced us to return to our ship, greatly regretting to leave this region which seemed so commodious and delightful, and which we supposed must also contain great riches, as the hills showed many
indications of minerals.”
From: Giovanni da Verrazano’s discovery of New York Harbour…Sailors narratives of voyages along the New England coast, 1524-1624 by George Parker Winship, published in 1905
https://archive.org/details/sailorsnarrative00wins/page/12
Source says not in copyright
After their dramatic return to Earth, the Apollo 13 crew stepped onto the USS Iwo Jima, the designated recovery ship, following splashdown in the South Pacific. The astronauts—Fred W. Haise Jr. (lunar module pilot), James A. Lovell Jr. (commander), and John L. Swigert Jr. (command module pilot)—exited the helicopter that had picked them up about four miles from the ship. Their damaged spacecraft had safely landed in the ocean on April 17, 1970.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
On April 17, 1907, nearly twelve thousand immigrants were processed at Ellis Island, the most on a single day at the U.S. inspection station.
Image: Arriving at Ellis Island in 1907 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
Samuel Chase or as some of his contemporaries called him “Old Bacon Face” was born on April 17, 1741 in Maryland.
He was one of the signers of The Declaration of Independence and was nominated by George Washington to become an associate Justice of The Supreme Court.
Why the “Old Bacon Face” reference? Apparently when he became angry or emotional his cheeks would get red.
When he was 21 he was thrown out of a forensic club in Annapolis for his behavior.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, No known restrictions
125th Street Branch, “Sessions of a City History Class,”
April 17, 1910
New York Public Library Archives, The New York Public Library Digital Collections.
No known restrictions
Born April 17, 1896, ventriloquist Señor Wences, arrived in the US around 1934 and built his career here, appearing on the Ed Sullivan show 48 times. He’s shown with character Cecilia Chicken in 1962. Another, Pedro, a head in a box, was improvised when Winces’ dummy was damaged on the way to a show – “s’aright? s’ok!”
Image via Wikimedia Commons, no known copyright, public domain in the US
On April 17, 1492, Christopher Columbus received the title of “Admiral of the Ocean Sea” when Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand signed the Capitulations of Santa Fe.
Image of Columbus before Queen Isabella in 1492 via Shutterstock
Spring In The City
An engraving by Winslow Homer that appeared in Harper’s Weekly on April 17, 1858.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
American financier J.P. Morgan was born on April 17, 1837 in Hartford, Connecticut.
His first wife, Amelia, died from tuberculosis a little more than four months after their marriage.
Image of J.P. Morgan c. 1870s via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
Daffy Duck made his first appearance on April 17, 1937 in the Looney Tunes cartoon titled “Porky’s Duck Hunt”
Image: A 33 cent stamp featuring Daffy Duck from 1998 via Shutterstock
On today’s date April 17, 1820: Alexander Joy Cartwright Jr. was born in New York City.
Cartwright organized one of the earliest baseball teams, the New York Knickerbockers Baseball Club, in the 1840s.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy greet Prime Minister of Greece Konstantine Karamanlis and his wife Amalia Karamanlis outside the North entrance of the White House, Washington, D.C..
April 17, 1961
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
“In the beginning of April 1790, about sixteen
days before his death, he was seized with a feverish
disorder, which at first did not exhibit any particular symptoms ; but upon the third or fourth day was attended with a pain in the left breast. This at length became very acute, and was accompanied
with a cough and a difficulty of breathing. He continued in this situation for five days, when the painful symptoms ceased at once, and his family began to flatter themselves with hopes of his recovery. But a new imposthume had now taken place in the lungs, which breaking suddenly as the others had done, he was unable to expectorate the matter fully. In confequence of this, an oppression of the organs of respiration,and a lethargic disposition, came on, which gradually increasing, he expired soon after.
Thus died, on the 17th of April 1790, in the eighty-
fifth year of his age, Dr. Benjamin Franklin, one of
the most celebrated and extraordinary men of which the present age can boast.
His life affords one of the finest moral lessons that
can be offered up to the admiration, the applause, or the imitation of mankind.”
From: The private life of the late Benjamin Franklin
https://archive.org/details/privatelifeoflat00franrich/page/n192/
Source says not in copyright
Image via NYPL Digital Collections, no known restrictions
Publicity photo of Gloria Swanson & William Holden for the 1950 film Sunset Boulevard.
Holden received his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his role in the film.
On April 17, 1918 American actor William Holden was born in O’Fallon, Illinois.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
